Prime Minister Mia Mottley has expressed optimism about the future of rum in Barbados, where the spirit was born more than 320 years ago, emphasising a commitment to innovation and modernising agricultural practices.
Speaking at the recommissioning of the world’s oldest copper pot stills at the West Indies Rum Distillery (WIRD), she underscored the significance of branding Barbados as the birthplace of commercial rum-making.
“Barbados has been that place globally, that has been the birthplace of commercial rum-making. We believe that our country must continue to claim and protect this as our heritage while adding value that will benefit Barbadians today,” Mottley said, reflecting on the historical importance of the rum industry to Barbados.
Addressing the connection between national identity and the rum industry, Mottley stressed the need to claim and protect this heritage.
She also highlighted the government’s dedication to modernisation and innovation, including the construction of a state-of-the-art tissue culture lab for advancing crop variety development.
“This country knew how to innovate in the 18th and 19th century, not only in the rum industry but also in the sugarcane industry,” Mottley declared.
“The commitment to building a new tissue culture lab reflects our determination to innovate in various aspects of our history.”
Reminiscing about a time when Barbadian agricultural products held a prominent place in the international market, she called for the reclamation and elevation of Barbadian agricultural products. Mottley emphasised a strategy focusing on the quality and uniqueness of local produce to carve out a premium niche in the global marketplace.
“We have to reclaim that future and innovate to distinguish ourselves. When you come from a small place, you have to find ways to distinguish yourself. If not, you’re lost in the crowd,” she added, urging a renewed focus on innovation for small nations like Barbados.
Praising companies like WIRD for preserving and restoring valuable traditions, Mottley concluded by acknowledging the importance of recognising value in seemingly discarded elements. She praised the workers for their dedication and emphasised the lesson that “even the things that people want to discard, we can find value and love and care and attention”.
Friday’s ceremony heralded the official return home for the pot still, affectionately known as the Rockley, and its return to active service creating timeless Barbados rum. It also joins a collection of original pot stills WIRD already owns. The event was also a timely for the organisation which recently celebrated its 130th anniversary.
The pot still, an integral part of the rum-making process, was dormant for approximately 50 years. In 2022, an intense refurbishment process began and saw teams from Barbados and Europe invest over 2 000 working hours and significant funds in its restoration which was based on old blueprints found in the distillery vault.
WIRD’s records show that it was last used locally in the distillation process between 1936 and the 1960s. (RG)
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